Judge Acquits Taylor in Drunk Driving Case

New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor was acquitted today of drunk driving charges stemming from a March arrest.

“The justice system works, and I’m happy for myself,” the eight-time All-Pro said as he emerged from the courtroom of Municipal Judge John Conte.

Conte found Taylor innocent based on testimony from two doctors, who said they found that the NFL star suffered from food poisoning the night he was arrested.

Authorities alleged that Taylor was found sleeping at 3:30 a.m. March 24 behind the wheel of his Jeep, which was parked on the shoulder of the Garden State Parkway. He was charged with drunk driving despite his blood alcohol level reading being .09%, below the .10% level considered legally drunk in New Jersey.

Dr. Alan Lupinacci of West Paterson, one of two internists called as expert witnesses by Taylor’s attorney, said the NFL star suffered from acute food poisoning, which caused him to vomit.

He theorized that Taylor became sick from an organism contained in poorly prepared fettuccine Alfredo eaten on a flight from Atlanta to Newark the day before his arrest.

“It is medically known that this type of organism is found in cream sauces and can make a person present those symptoms,” Lupinacci said.

Earlier, Taylor’s attorney attempted to show that the arresting officer took the football star into custody based on assumptions made from previous arrests and not from the evidence obtained from Breathalyzer tests.

Trooper Robert Pohida, who arrested Taylor, said he was surprised that the football star’s breath test showed Taylor’s blood alcohol level to be only .09%.

“You expected the reading to be a lot higher?” asked James Acheson, Taylor’s attorney.

“That is correct,” Pohida replied.

The trooper said Taylor could not perform simple coordination tasks that are routinely administered to motorists who are suspected of driving while intoxicated. Some of the tests included reciting the alphabet and touching his index finger to his nose.

Based upon the alcohol reading and the dexterity problems, the trooper suspected that Taylor may have been abusing drugs and ordered a urinalysis, Pohida said.

Taylor has undergone drug rehabilitation twice in the last three years.

If convicted on the drunk driving charge, Taylor could have faced a fine and a loss of his driving privileges.